The present invention relates to the field of electromagnetic reflectors.
It applies to all potential applications of electromagnetic reflectors, such as, and in non-limiting manner, use as position-identifying beacons, e.g. for moving vehicles.
Numerous means have already been proposed for forming electromagnetic reflectors.
Reference can be made, for example, to the following documents: FR-A-2 723 263, EP 0 182 274, FR 1 226 263, GB 913 547, U.S. Pat. No. 3,217,325, U.S. Pat. No. 3,041,604, U.S. Pat. No. 3,115,631, U.S. Pat. No. 3,568,191, GB 2 188 783, GB 2 189 079, FR 2 073 370, U.S. Pat. No. 4,119,965, U.S. Pat. No. 4,096,479, U.S. Pat. No. 4,072,948, U.S. Pat. No. 3,660,843, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,276,017.
For example, document FR-A-2 723 263 describes devices comprising a deployable support frame carrying a plurality of cloth segments designed to co-operate in the deployed state to form reflective polyhedra.
The present invention seeks to provide novel means providing improved efficiency over the prior art.
In the context of the present invention, these objects are achieved in a first aspect by an electromagnetic reflector comprising a deployable support frame carrying at least one cloth element designed, in the deployed state, to form a reflective surface, the device being characterized by the fact that the deployable support frame comprises at least one deployable arm that is telescopic.
After numerous tests and studies, the Applicant has observed that using such a telescopic deployable arm enables each cloth element to be deployed in perfectly plane manner, leading to reflector performance that is better than that of known prior devices.
According to an advantageous characteristic of the present invention, the deployable support frame carries a plurality of cloth elements designed to co-operate in the deployed state to form reflective polyhedra.
According to another advantageous characteristic of the present invention, the deployable support frame comprises a central core which carries the telescopic deployable arm.
In an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the device comprises a support frame made up of a central core which carries a main telescopic mast associated with four hinged arms.
In a variant, the support frame may comprise a core carrying six telescopic arms.
According to another advantageous characteristic of the present invention, the device is arranged as an octahedron.
In a second aspect, the above-specified objects are achieved in the context of the present invention by an electromagnetic reflector comprising a support frame which carries at least one cloth element designed to form a reflective surface, the reflector being characterized by the fact that the cloth is formed by a knitted fabric.
The Applicant has observed that such a cloth accommodates a certain amount of elongation suitable for optimizing deployment.
Furthermore, cloth formed of a knitted fabric can be folded so as to lead to very compact storage, without presenting any residual creases after being deployed, and it offers a high degree of flexibility.
According to another advantageous characteristic of the present invention, the support frame has at least one sling for optimizing deployment of the cloth.
According to another advantageous characteristic of the invention, the sling is disposed along an edge of the cloth element.
The device of the present invention also preferably comprises means suitable for orienting or indeed rotating the device once it has been deployed and released into free fall.
Thus, in a third aspect, the above-specified objects are achieved in the context of the present invention by an electromagnetic reflector comprising a support frame carrying a plurality of cloth elements designed to co-operate to form reflecting polyhedra, the reflector being characterized by the fact that it further comprises means for controlling aerodynamic behavior suitable for imparting an orientation to the support frame so that it presents at least one outside edge that is horizontal.
The Applicant has found that this characteristic is important for obtaining a mean response at high level.
According to another advantageous characteristic of the present invention, the horizontal external edge is a bottom edge of the support frame.
According to an advantageous characteristic of the present invention, such means for controlling orientation and rotation comprise at least one support sail.